Best Fuel Cards for Truckers

10 Best Fuel Cards for Truck Drivers

If you own a fleet with multiple employees and multiple trucks, you owe it to yourself to have a system of fuel cards. Fuel cards (also known as fleet cards or fleet fuel cards) provide a variety of benefits, and there are many types to fit different needs. Here’s some information to help you decide which one is right for your fleet.

Benefits

• Cheaper fuel. Most (but not all) fleet cards provide diesel discounts at specific gas stations, and the smaller number of gas stations covered, the more you can save per gallon.
• Set daily limits. Want your employees to be able to get a small treat at the gas station store without splurging? Some fuel cards allow you to set daily spending limits for fuel, convenience stores, and other places where the card is an accepted form of payment.
• Simpler accounting. If your fleet fuel card is compatible with your accounting software, putting the expenses into your software is as simple as entering your fuel card account number and linking the two. No more tracking receipts.
• Stronger security (like a debit card). Did your employee drop his fuel card at a station back in Georgia? As long as the person who finds it does not know the PIN, he cannot access the funds. This also allows the employee to carry less cash in his truck, minimizing the chance of robbery.
• Partnerships. Some fuel cards may have partnered with other companies to provide you discounts on miscellaneous expenses, such as windshield replacement.
• IFTA reporting. Your trucks’ ELDs should be able to track the fuel used in each state but having a fleet card system that tracks it can help verify the data.
• Level III processing. Get data on the transaction not just for the when, from whom, and from where, but also for the specific shipment, the invoice number, and more.

Comparisons

WEX. WEX cards are the most popular form of fleet card and are accepted at an overwhelming 160,000 fueling stations and 45,000 service locations across the country. WEX allows you to set spending controls on what and when for each card. Small business cards get rewards in the form of cashback or gift cards. Has an app to find valid fueling locations and the cheapest fuel in the area. It has a fee of $2 per month per card.

Voyager. Accepted at over 230,000 different locations. Has an app to find valid fueling locations and the cheapest fuel in the area. No rewards, but also no monthly fee. Similar spending controls to the WEX card.

Fuelman Diesel Advantage. This fleet card allows you to save four cents per gallon on diesel fuel at 50,000 fueling locations nationwide (promotion does not expire). Transaction controls such as gallon and dollar limits. Has a locator app for most smartphones.

ARCO Business Solutions Mastercard Card. Accepted at any of the 1,500 ARCO stations and any fuel stations where Mastercard is accepted if traveling out of ARCO’s business scope. Ten cents a gallon promotional rebate for the first three months, then no more discount. Tracking options and gallon limits for each driver/truck. ARCO has a similar card for only ARCO stations, but because ARCO is primarily situated in the western United States, it is not recommended for most truckers.

BP Fuel Program. Very similar to the ARCO card, but with British Petroleum instead of ARCO. Has a $10 monthly fee that is waived on accounts purchasing more than 5,000 gallons per month. Provides a 3.5 cent rebate on diesel at all BP locations, and if this is a temporary promotion, the website fails to say so. It has two versions: an all Mastercard locations card, and a BP station only card.

PrideAdvantage. Not only is this card valid in 57,000 Fuelman and 1,000 Pacific Pride sites, but each Pacific Pride franchisee is a customer service representative for the fleet fuel card, giving you personal customer service other cards cannot provide. The fleet card system has purchase controls and online reporting that can easily be exported into accounting software.

Fuel Express. Can be used by nearly all gas stations; over 230,000 in the United States! Fuel Express also sells GPS systems that synchronize easily with their fuel cards. In order to apply for a Fuel Express fuel card, your fleet must either contain at least four trucks or consume 100 gallons per week.

Apex Fuel Card. What the Apex card lacks in versatility it makes up for in savings. It is usable at fewer than 1,000 different stations, but says it can save clients an average of thirty-five cents per gallon. It has a mobile app to find relevant gas stations and lets you plan your route around them. Their website does not say anything about baseline features such as monitoring and setting spending limits, so consider this card carefully.

Trucker’s Advantage Fuel Card. The official fuel card of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), Trucker’s Advantage offers cash price at the pump, provided the balance is paid in seven days. It also lets you save money per gallon at Pilot Flying J, Sapp Brothers, Quick Fuel, and truck stops within their network.

ExxonMobil Business Fleet. This fleet fuel card says it can save you up to six cents per gallon during the promotional period, but does not say when the promotional period ends. It is accepted at almost every Exxon and Mobil station (10,000 in total), comes with security features such as daily limits and purchase types, and also comes with an app that allows the driver to pay at the pump without taking out his card.

Bottom Line

Fleet fuel cards have a lot in common with one another. When deciding on a fleet card to use for your business, it is important to determine the individual benefits and weigh those instead of being lured by something other cards can offer. Are there rewards or discounts? Is there a monthly fee? How many gas stations and maintenance sites accept the card? Can the card be used at places other than gas stations and maintenance sites, and if so, would I want the option to turn this off? How is the customer service in the chance something comes up? It never hurts to ask these questions before deciding the fuel cards your fleet will be using.

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